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Home Archives for General

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Canadian Parents, Beware

Say what? As absurd as some of our court decisions seem to be, the Euro-wannabes north of the border have trumped us when it comes to sheer lunacy (H/T Doug Bandow):A recent court decision in Canada should send chills down every parent’s spine. The ruling is so out of bounds that the news story sounds like a parody — but it isn’t. A Canadian judge ruled that a 12-year-old girl was “excessively” punished when her father told her she could not go on a school camping trip because she had broken rules for use of the Internet. O Canada, the nation with tribunals that enforce politically-correct government censorship of speech, now gives us micromanagement of parental responsibilities. Wherever Canada is, I fear the United States is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cultural Conservatism, General, World Events Tagged With: Baptist Press, Barack Obama, Canada, Doug Bandow, Free Speech, John McCain, judicial activism, Mark Steyn, nanny state, parental responsibilities

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Double Whammy for SEIU

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the biggest boys on the Big Labor block (they spent nearly $1 million in 2006 just on Colorado's elections), has taken a one-two punch today. It doesn't look good for them. First, the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) is urging the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate SEIU's pension funding scheme. AWF's Brian Johnson writes at National Review about SEIU's pension hypocrisy:Unions often champion themselves as protecting rank-and-file workers from corporate greed and malfeasance. Yet DB pension plans, managed by union officers, are often plagued by insolvency, threatening to leave members with little in retirement. For example, the SEIU National Industry Pension Fund — which … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: 2008 election, Alliance for Worker Freedom, Big Labor, Bill Ritter, Brian Johnson, coercive non-member fees, Collective Bargaining, Colorado elections, Colorado state government, federal investigation, hypocrisy, investment advisors, Mark Mix, Michael Mukasey, National Industry Pension Fund, National Review, National Right to Work Foundation, one-two punch, pensions, political fundraising scheme, rank-and-file workers, S & P 500, SEIU leaders, Service Employees International Union, state property, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Department of Labor

2/7/2026 By Ben 5 Comments

Feeling Out of the Loop: John Lerew (not LeGrew) and CCM Comes to Denver

Oh joy, I've finally figured out who my Republican Congressional candidate is: John Lerew, not John LeGrew (how bad is it when your name gets misspelled in a key publication that introduces your candidacy to a key audience of activists?). Longtime Colorado blogger Jack Ott, whom I met back in 2004, has posted information about Mr. Lerew. Certainly, he seems an ardent and passionate conservative, but it's apparent the GOP went pretty deep onto the bench to bring him forward as the candidate. Or, as one Lefty blogger quite accurately put it, Mr. Lerew is "the sacrificial lamb" to run against incumbent Rep. Ed Perlmutter. (I feel out of the loop to have taken so long to learn about this one. But it also speaks ill of the candidate's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: 7th Congressional District, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Colorado, Denver metro area, Jack Ott, John Lerew, Republican Party, sacrificial lamb

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Protect Colorado’s Future Fails 9News Truth Test, Brands Itself as Deceptive

It's still early in the campaign cycle, but the political group known as Protect Colorado's Future has already hung the banner of "Liar" around its neck. It's hard to see how much more credibility the group will have as the election season heats up. Protect Colorado's Future is overwhelmingly funded by a coalition of labor unions. The commercial it aired is designed to attack Right to Work (Amendment 47) and two initiatives that have yet to be certified on the ballot. In the interest of full disclosure, one initiative (#53), aka Ethical Standards - designed to "prevent public payroll systems from collecting and bundling money to special interest groups that hire lobbyists and make campaign contributions" - has been supported by research … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: 9News, background checks, Bill Ritter, deception, Denver Daily News, Denver Post, Ethical Standards initiative, fraud, government contracting reform, hypocrisy, Initiative 59, Jon Caldara, lying, minimum wage amendment, Nancy Spence, Protect Colorado's Future, right-to-work, Rocky Mountain News, television ad, The Colorado Index, Tom Lucero, Truth Test, union thuggery

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Support the Troops: Moving America Forward Seeking Care Package Support

Just in case you have missed this important news elsewhere... the group Moving America Forward is working to organize the largest ever care package shipment to U.S. military personnel. (More information from Rush Limbaugh and the San Francisco Chronicle.) Here's their goal:...to send the largest single shipment of care packages in U.S. history. We're hoping to collect sponsorships in excess of $500,000 for care packages by the end of the day Thursday. How can you learn more and get involved? On Thursday, June 26, tune in to Hot Air's "From the Front Lines." What a great way to show our nation's appreciation to our troops and their families! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General Tagged With: care packages, From the Front Lines, Hot Air, Moving America Forward, Rush Limbaugh, San Francisco Chronicle, support the troops

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver Teachers Union Moves One Step Closer to Possible DNC Strike

Another landmark yesterday in the fallout between Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, reports the Post's Jeremy Meyer:Representatives of Denver's teachers union and school administrators — embroiled in a contract dispute — met with a professional arbiter Wednesday to discuss next month's mediation. The two sides are at odds over compensation and time issues, particularly in regard to proposed changes to ProComp — the voter-approved performance pay system for teachers. The story continues:With mediation the week before the Democratic National Convention in Denver, there is concern of picketing during the event to bring national attention to the contract dispute. The DCTA newsletter has declared … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: arbitration, Democratic National Convention, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver Post, Denver Public Schools, Jeremy Meyer, Kim Ursetta, ProComp, teacher strike, teachers union

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Turn Off the TV on Bill Ritter

Over at the Colorado Index, one of my new favorite bloggers Civil Sense clues readers in to a new taxpayer-funded television ad, starring our hapless Gov. Bill Ritter:The ads range from 10 to 30 seconds, and they send a simple message: Turn down the thermostat, unplug unused appliances, turn off lights and use alternative transportation. Good advice. I think I'll be turning off the television whenever this commercial comes on my set. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Energy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Civil Sense, Colorado Index, Energy, taxpayer funds, television ad, thermostats

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Bill Ritter Hobnobs on Arctic Cruise while Scientists Cast Doubt on Climate Theory

After his recent Arctic show cruise with numerous liberal elites, Gov. Bill Ritter said he "improved his knowledge of climate change and reinforced his belief that his environmental policies at home are the right ones." Our governor picked some miserably bad timing that only makes him look sillier. As Joshua Sharf points out, the widely reputed American Physics Society has shined a growing light of credibility on dissent from the climate hysteria of man-made global warming. Joshua also points to a piece highlighting how Australia is starting to come to terms with the largely bogus nature of the alleged threat. Meanwhile, Bill Ritter is awed by the visual evidence of Arctic ice caps melting in July - with both Ritter and the Denver … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Energy, General Tagged With: American Physics Society, Arctic cruise, Australia, Bill Ritter, Civil Sense, Climate change hysteria, Colorado, Denver Post, environmental policies, global warming, Jimmy Carter, Joshua Sharf, Madeleine Albright, scientific debate, sea-ice levels

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Hindu Delegation Gives “Obamessiah” Different Kind of “American Idol”

From the Times of India (via Drudge Report):NEW DELHI: With Democrat senator Barack Obama busy in the run-up to the US presidential polls, a group of well-wishers in the capital have decided to send him a symbol of his lucky charm, Lord Hanuman, to help him emerge victorious.... An hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was earlier organised at Sankat Mochan Dham and by Congress leader Brijmohan Bhama, Balmiki Samaj and the temple's priests. "Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him," said Bhama. This story gives a whole new meaning to the name "American Idol." But seriously, this could add another layer of religious confusion to the ever-unfolding bizarre "Obamessiah" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, National Politics Tagged With: American Idol, Barack Obama, Brijmohan Bhama, Christianity, Drudge Report, elitism, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Lord Hanuman, Obamessiah, snobbery, Times of India

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver Gives Democrat Officials Tax Exemption, Risks Public Resentment

A few days ago I had a conversation with some non-political family members about the pains of hosting a national political convention. One of them lives in the Twin Cities. The rest of us live in and around Denver. Doubtless this means some inconveniences and annoyances for denizens, regardless of whether it's the Republicans or Democrats coming to your town. But the Denver Post today reports a small outrage I hadn't even considered before (H/T Slapstick Politics):Several Denver City Council members are questioning why the Democratic National Convention Committee has a contract with the city to fill up their fleet of vehicles with tax-free fuel. The $466,000 contract, only $9,700 of which has been paid so far by the DNCC officials, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Energy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Democrat National Convention, Democratic National Convention Committee, Denver, Denver City Council, Denver Post, DNCC officials, gasoline, John Hickenlooper, Minneapolis, Republican National Convention, tax-exempt

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
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  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

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bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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